Fat-Free Date and Banana Pancakes

Today I thought I would share with you a recipe I stumbled upon recently for Fat-Free Date and Banana Pancakes. The recipe can be found in a book called 'Eat Yourself Thin' by Gill Paul, which holds host to a variety of (literally) delicious yet nutritious meals. Let's jump right into it then.

For the batter you will need:

125g (4oz) dried dates, pitted and finely chopped

150ml (1/4 pint) boiling water

75g (3oz) wholewheat or buckwheat flour

75 g (3oz) plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp golden caster sugar

1 large egg

150ml (1/4 pint) skimmed milk

2 tbsps olive oil

2 tbsps coconut oil

To serve you will also need 2 ripe bananas, thinly sliced, and maple syrup.

Okay so as you may be able to see I made some alterations to the ingredients. I substituted skimmed milk with rice milk, wholewheat flour with gluten free plain flour and caster sugar with agave nectar. I only did this because of my intolerances, and just to make it that tiny bit more healthy!

First of all, seeing as pitted and chopped dates apparently don't exist, you must measure...

...pit, and chop them. WARNING: this takes forever and is not easy. If you have a mum kicking about beg her to do it (I hate the boring baking tasks).

After you have ruined your arms from cutting up the dates, place the dates in a jug with the boiling water and leave to soak. Meanwhile, place the flour in a mixing bowl with the baking powder, cinnamon, salt and sugar. Beat the egg with the milk and olive oil, then slowly add to the flour mixture, stirring constantly to form a smooth batter. Drain any excess liquid from the dates and stir them into the batter.

Next of all, heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add a little coconut oil. When it starts to sizzle, pour in a little pancake batter. Cook for about 2 minutes until bubbles begin to appear on the surface...

...then carefully turn over with a spatula and cook the other side for a further minute. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining pancakes. 

Top with the sliced banana and (the recipe says drizzle) smother with maple syrup. I am a massive fan of maple syrup and could not agree more with Buddy the Elf in the sense that maple syrup goes with EVERYTHING.

I can't explain in words how good these pancakes actually are, so you'll just have to make them yourself to experience the yumminess. They're definitely a good alternative to American pancakes - I certainly didn't feel guilty after eating them! Enjoy x

Introversion vs Extroversion

The other day I watched a film - The Way Way Back to be precise - and it just got me thinking. First of all I should tell you the plot: a shy 14-year-old boy, Duncan, goes on summer vacation with his mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend's daughter. Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen, manager of a water park, and resultantly, Duncan begins to come out of his shell. It is actually a really great film, and I have realised recently that I enjoy films based on introversion. This is partially because I certainly see some of myself in the main characters. I consider myself to be an 'introvert' as opposed to 'extrovert'. The official definitions of the two are as follows:

Introvert: a shy person // [psychology] a person predominantly concerned with their own thoughts and feelings rather than with external things

Extrovert: an outgoing, socially confident person // [psychology] a person predominantly concerned with external things or objective considerations

However, am I really an introvert? I personally would not say that introversion is about being shy. Introverts feel more switched on when they are in quieter, more low-key environments, whereas extroverts require large amounts of stimulation. Introverts withdraw in crowds, get easily distracted, hardly ever get bored and shut down when it is time to be alone. I can relate to all of these matters intimately; I am one of the few people who actually enjoys their own attention and I have done since I was little. Nevertheless, there does come a time about once a month in which I essentially transform into an extrovert. During this time I constantly crave attention, love getting out the house, like to explore, do things I wouldn't normally do, meet new people...the list goes on. And, when I am on the other end of the spectrum hovering around introversion, I tend to be confident and outgoing within my close friends and family (that is when I actually choose to socialise). Ultimately, I think most people can associate themselves with characteristics of both introversion and extroversion. After much deliberation I have come to the conclusion that I am, in fact, a good mix of both and I am happy to be that way!

In light of the topic of introversion, I put together a list of my favourite films referring to it (in no particular order):


1. The Way Way Back

As previously mentioned.

2. The Art of Getting By

George, a lonely and fatalistic teen who has made it all the way to his senior year without ever having done a real day of work, is befriended by Sally, a popular but complicated girl who recognizes in him a kindred spirit.

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

An introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors who welcome him to the real world.

4. Garden State

A quietly troubled young man returns home for his mother's funeral after being estranged from his family for a decade.

5. It's Kind of a Funny Story

A clinically depressed teenager gets a new start after he checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward.